


savor every moment of this

by askmeaboutmyoctopustheory



Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alpine the Cat, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Avenger Clint Barton/Modern Bucky Barnes, Awkward Flirting, Gay Bucky Barnes, Human Disaster Clint Barton, M/M, landlord Clint Barton
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-23
Updated: 2019-07-07
Packaged: 2020-05-16 20:03:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,897
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19325131
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/askmeaboutmyoctopustheory/pseuds/askmeaboutmyoctopustheory
Summary: Bucky is a barista at a trendy cafe, always noticing the disaster of a man who comes in sometimes looking like he lost a fight.Clint is an avenger and a landlord who's building has a hot barista working at the coffee shop.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> wow i've always said that i would never do a coffeeshop AU but here we are
> 
> thanks to bloodmooninspace for the prompt/idea!! i love it a lot! and thanks BDBD for the sprints
> 
> i'm a barista so i'm probably projecting a lot of my job-angst here
> 
> also CawClunks? Hawklunk? lets figure it out
> 
> find me on twit @_AMAMOT and tell me all my mistakes because unbeta'd

Bucky exhaled slowly and wiped off his counter. He had just finished up the pre-work rush at Cupid’s Cup, the three time winner of “Best Independent Coffeehouse” in Brooklyn. Really all that meant was in addition to the glaze-eyed businessmen and students, he had to deal with the coffee snobs who thought they knew more than he did. The line was frequently out the door from 7-11, with the sound of espresso grinders and steam wands going nonstop. 

 

But Bucky loved his job. Sure, all of his possessions smelled like a combination of stale coffee and burnt milk, he had the most irregular sleep schedule known in existence, and caffeine had little to no effect on him anymore. But he loved the work, he loved pressing the grounds into the portafilters and the gurgling of the machine. He loved how the espresso beans’ freshness would be temperamental, he loved fine-tuning the grind and tamp to make the perfect cup of coffee. His customers were generally an easy-going bunch, but if he got the odd rude customer he would just give them decaf. 

 

Satisfied with his cleaning of his station, Bucky reclined against the back counter to drink his own cold brew. He tugged his beanie off and undid his low ponytail to scratch his head for a moment. His coworker Kate leaned on the counter next to him and they drank their coffee in silence. Ok she was technically his manager, but she took herself less seriously than Bucky ever did and was about 10 years his junior.

 

The door jingled and one of their semi-regular customers stumbled in. Bucky was pretty sure the guy lived in his car and was some sort of amateur boxer or something, judging by the bandaids he was usually decorated with and bruises that littered his face. Despite this, Bucky was a gay disaster, so he had a weird crush on the guy. Kate smirked around her straw as Bucky surged forward to help the customer.

 

“XL shot in the dark, black” The man mumbled, scrubbing his hand over his face. 

 

This was the earliest in the day that Bucky had ever seen him in the shop. He had seen the man poking around at 4am before Bucky opened the store and he usually came in to get coffee much later in the afternoon, even into the evening. He had clearly just rolled out of bed, judging by the cowlick in his dirty blonde hair and general sluggishness. 

 

“It’s uh. On the house today.” Bucky said with his customer service smile when the guy fumbled in his sweats for cash. Blondie just flicked his eyes to Kate for a second before taking the coffee.

 

“Uh. Thanks.”

 

“No problem.”

 

\---

 

Clint and mornings didn’t get along. Their mission had gotten back late last night and Cap had lovingly let them postpone debrief until the next morning. But that meant that Clint had to  _ get up _ in the morning at ass o’clock when functional people normally got up. Lucky for him, he technically owned a coffee shop. Well, he owned the whole apartment building, including the coffee shop on the first floor. Which made it even weirder when the hot barista comped his coffee, with Kate suppressing a giggle behind his back. 

 

His commute on the subway to the tower was full of the usual New York crazies and no doubt there would be a stern talking-to during the debrief. Clint ignored Cap and Fury for the most part, instead trying to get as much caffeine into his system before he had to go back and be a dutiful landlord. Apparently the garbage chute was backed up and he needed to do his routine inspection of the fire escapes.

 

“Barton you wanna spar?” Sam interrupted his train of thought by standing in front of Clint’s chair. “Bird bros?”

 

“Mm not today Wilson. I already got out of bed before noon, that’s enough of a workout.”

 

“Alright but i’m holdin ya to that!” Wilson pointed at him as he backed out of the conference room.

 

Clint groaned and walked out of the empty conference room. He fell asleep on his way back to the apartment and almost missed his subway stop.

 

His building was a squat, brick 4 story block. The insides were all done in the “industrial” style that seemed to be common in the area. Nat called it a hipster haven, especially with the trendy coffee shop out front. It was relatively to manage on his own, he was pretty handy with odd jobs and basic maintenance. Which is how he found himself scaling the bricks facing the alley that had the dumpsters, pounding on the metal garbage chute to find where it was blocked. He knew he was successful when he heard rushing noise of stuff falling down the chute. Feeling a small bristle of satisfaction from completing a task, he climbed down and pushed the trash around in the dumpster to distribute it evenly. Of course, the hot barista came out with the garbage from the morning shift to see Clint rifling around in the trash.

 

After a few moments of embarrassment the barista retreated back into the back door for the coffee shop and Clint sighed a bit at himself. He jumped and swung himself up onto the fire escape, hoping the rest of his day would be less of a disaster.

 

\----

 

“I just saw that guy again!” Bucky told Kate when he went back into the shop. It was the end of his shift and he just had to clock out. “I wonder if he like, lives in his car or something.

 

Kate just snorted in response. “You still good to switch shifts tomorrow?”

 

“No prob, go get your girl.” Bucky grinned at her. He had given her his opening shift so she could go to her paramour’s roller derby match in the afternoon.

 

“Oh shut up.” Kate mumbled as he turned towards the door.

 

When Bucky left, he was tempted to go see if the blonde man was still in the dumpster. He didn’t know why he was drawn to the man. It wasn’t like he could help him, when he was a relatively broke college grad with a degree that hadn’t gotten him a job in three years and he lived in a studio apartment above a pizza parlor. Still, a hot older guy living in his car shouldn’t be something he should add to his relatively unstable life. Sure, Bucky could live comfortably with his job but he still panicked every time he saw his rent automatically get withdrawn from his bank account. He unlocked his apartment and saw his white cat in the same spot he had left her that morning. She barely looked up when he scritched behind her ears. Bucky just sighed and changed into his gym clothes, ready to burn all his over caffeinated energy off.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ok this has like *no* plot
> 
> like even less than i usually write so like negative plot
> 
> but isn't that the point of coffeeshop AU? idk
> 
> also all of customers are 100% based off of people i've encountered lol

“What’s up Katie-kate?” Clint pressed his phone against his shoulder as he packed up his bag in the tower gym.

  


“The health inspector just called the shop. Apparently there was a clearly bullshit complaint or something and he needs to have the landlord/owner confirm that everything’s up to code” Clint could hear the general din of the coffeeshop in the background as she talked. 

  


“Ok, I can come by later this afternoon. I’m at the tower now.”

  


“I know. I won’t be here but you’ll be fine. The shop’s all up to code, I know for a fact.” Kate hung up without saying goodbye.

  


That was the part of being a landlord that Clint didn’t always like. He didn’t like all the paperwork and inspections and bullshit hoops to jump through. But he also didn’t feel right hiring someone else to do it, so he was now stuck with a meeting with the health inspector later that afternoon. The official-types that were involved in the landlording were always so judgmental of him and his bruises and one-eyed dog.

  


\-----

  


Bucky wasn’t surprised by the news about the health inspector, his day had already been shit. Alpine had been mouthy when he fed her this morning, his internet had been cutting in and out the whole morning, and the annoying grunting guy had been at the gym that morning.

  


So when Kate told him the owner would be by later to rendezvous with the health inspector, Bucky was just glad he didn’t have to be the one to deal with it. He wasn’t even sure if he knew who the owner was, only that he owned the whole building and had delegated most of the coffeeshop responsibilities onto Kate.  If nothing else, Bucky could finally meet who he supposed was the guy with the messy signature on his paychecks. 

  


Kate grinned and bounced on her toes when she saw him finally arrive for his shift, meaning that she could leave in an hour. “Yay Buck you’re here!”

  


“I do work here, Kate” Bucky teased her with a small hip bump and grinned back. She had the glassy, wide-eyed look of someone who was running purely on coffee. “Did you not sleep last night?”

  


 “No I did, I just am not used to opens anymore. But still thanks for trading.” She scrubbed at a coffee stain that was never going to come out of the counter.

  


“Kate” Bucky grabbed her hand and stopped her over-energetic cleaning. “Just finish up your stocking and get out of here. I got this.”   
  


Kate whirled around in a flurry of activity to complete her last tasks while Bucky made himself his own coffee. The late morning shift that bled into mid-afternoon wasn’t as hectic as an opening. He was able to watch the TV in the corner as it was playing footage from an Avengers mission a few days ago. There were weird robot things that had a generic evil-sounding name and a boring villain that Captain America took down with one spin of the shield. Iron man was blasting robots with his suit and Bucky could see Widow and Hawkeye with their backs to the camera shooting down more. The villain was taken into custody and official-looking people came to start cleaning up the robotic mess all over the streets. Cap did an interview with a news station and in the background Bucky could see Widow helping Hawkeye walk with a limp. Eventually the whole team was on camera as the news anchor thanked them and cut to commercial. 

  


Bucky knew about the Avengers, everyone in New York did. He grew up learning about Captain America and Stark Industries in school and had watched enough spy movies that were ‘loosely’ based on Widow and Hawkeye. There was something that struck him as more familiar as he was thinking about the footage he just watched. 

  


He was able to turn the thought over and over in the back of his mind as he made coffees for the slow stream of customers. Bucky was listening to an old woman with a walker who regularly came in drone on about her grandson and her cataracts when a man in a “Brooklyn Public Health” polo shirt came in.

  


“Hello? I’m supposed to meet with Mr. Barton about the health complaint.” He flashed an ID card at Bucky.

  


The old woman ambled away with her coffee, muttering to herself and the man stepped up to the counter. He looked around and Bucky felt like he needed to say something. 

  


“Uh. Can I get you anything?”

  


“No thank you, I’ll just wait for Mr. Barton.” The man gave him a tight-lipped smile. 

  


Bucky realized he had no idea what the building’s landlord looked like, so he busied himself cleaning the machine. Apparently Mr. Public Health was familiar with the landlord because he had greeted a guy in a suit at the door while Bucky was helping a customer. By the time the older man buying coffee was done telling Bucky about the ‘good ol days when a cuppa cost a quarter’, the health inspector and landlord were fiddling with the sinks and sanitation buckets.

  


“-Just run a few samples and write this whole thing off as an unhappy customer.” The health inspector was explaining. “I know you keep it regulation here, Clint.”

  


Bucky’s landlord had his back turned to the bar area, giving Bucky a view of his ass in shockingly purple slacks and broad shoulders in a matching blazer. The guy was rocking back and forth on his toes as the health inspector dipped his test papers in the sanitation buckets.

  


“Hey can I get you a drink?” Mr. Landlord asked. “I’m sure-”

  


He turned to gesture to Bucky, who was sipping his own coffee by the drip brewer. He looked at Bucky questioningly but had a small smirk on his face. “Uh. Bucky.” 

  


Bucky applauded himself for not dribbling his coffee on himself. His landlord was  _ hot _ . Clint? Was that what he had heard for his name? And, wait, holy shit was that-   
  
“I’m sure Bucky would make you any drink, it’s on the house.” Clint’s eyes were still on Bucky as he nodded quickly.

  


“Nah, I’ve got to go do an inspection at that Thai place with weird sauce. Take care.”

  



	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sorry this is a short chapter! next one will be longer i promise i just didn't want to shove too much into one chapter and it was a natural break in the story! 
> 
>  
> 
> thanks for all the feedback luv yall <3

 

“Holy shit you’re-”

 

“I know. I know.” Clint rubbed his face with his hand, disrupting one of the butterfly bandages on his nose. “No, I can’t get you Iron Man’s autograph.”

 

“What?” Bucky was confused.

 

“What?” Clint didn’t look any less clear on where their conversation was going. He strode to the drip brewer and poured himself a cup of coffee.

 

“You’re the-the guy who was…..in the garbage.” Bucky managed to string together a somewhat coherent sentence. “I gave you coffee that morning.”

 

_ Do not fuck the landlord Buck.  _ His internal voice chastised him as his eyes took in the jacket stretched across Clint’s shoulders. 

 

“Oh. Uh yeah.” Clint looked awkwardly away. “I own this building but only dress like this-” He gestured down, like Bucky hadn’t already taken stock of his shapely legs in the slim trousers. “-when I have to deal with official types.”

 

“I thought you were homeless.” Bucky mumbled. Clint just smirked around his cup of coffee. “Wait why would I want Iron Man’s autograph?”

 

Clint’s eyes widened, realizing that Bucky hadn’t put together that he was an Avenger. “Uh.” He was a spy, why couldn’t he think on the fly right now? Right, hot barista.

 

“WAIT” Bucky almost shouted, causing a few of their customers to look over at them behind the counter. He looked around wildly and lowered his voice to a stage whisper. “You- You’re Hawkeye. Holy shit I’m an idiot.”

 

Clint snorted a humorless laugh. “Thats me, 5th most recognized Avenger.”

 

“I gave Hawkeye a free cup of coffee from a shop he owns.” Bucky slid down the back refrigerator until he was sitting on the ground. “Can I disappear?”

 

“I’d be disappointed if you did.” Clint winked. 

 

Bucky looked at him in stunned disbelief. Not only was the landlord an avenger and the hot guy who he had presumed to be homeless, he was flirting with Bucky. He must have fallen asleep behind the counter, he needed more coffee. 

 

“Look, Bucky?” Clint shuffled his feet and ran his hand through his hair. Bucky nodded because Clint seemed to need the affirmation. “Make it up to me over dinner? Tonight?”

 

“Sounds good.” Bucky said without really processing. His mind was going a million miles an hour and he still wasn’t sure he wasn’t asleep.

 

Clint wrote a phone number on the cup he had been drinking out of. “See you later then.” He said with a wink and strode out the door.

Yeah Bucky definitely needed more coffee.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> soryr for the delay! heres their date!! at least part of it!!

“Kate, did you know? You knew, didn’t you, you little-”

 

 Bucky just listened to Kate laughing hysterically in the background. He had called her as soon as his shift was over, telling her what he had found out about their landlord. She had just called him an idiot and started laughing. 

 

“You know I’m like his second-in-command right? We share an alias.” Kate wheezed when her laughter had died down. 

 

“Ok ok. I’m a dumbass, I already embarrassed myself a ton today.” Bucky grumbled as he jiggled the lock to his front door, Alpine meowing loudly behind it.

 

“How was it with the health inspector? After you were done having a crisis about Clint. HI ALPINE” 

 

“Oh it was fine. All clear as predicted.” Bucky felt tiny claws on his jeans as soon as he was through the door. “And don’t patronize my cat.”

 

“I’ll do what I want, Barnes. I’m your manager.” Kate said joke-harshly. “Even if you have a weird gay crush on my mentor.”   
  
“Uh about that.” Bucky hesitated. 

 

“He asked you out didn’t he?” Kate interrupted him. “It’s about damn time too. Wear those dark jeans with the rips on the thighs.”

 

Bucky sighed as she hung up without another word and Alpine continued her assault on his jeans with her claws. He had a few hours to kill before he needed to get ready to meet Barton, and he always felt hotter and more confident after working out. Maybe he worked his thigh presses a little harder and took a few more selfies next to the weight rack than necessary. But after uploading a thirst trap to Grindr and taking full advantage of the gym shower’s water pressure, he felt more ready for the coming evening. Bucky had brought his change of clothes with him, planning to catch the subway into Manhattan. To avengers tower, to meet his date. What the hell was his life. 

 

\----

 

Clint was pacing in the bedroom of his floor of the tower. He spent most of his time at the tower, only sleeping at his apartment after missions when he was sick of his teammates. He hadn’t really been on a date in a long time and was frankly shocked that Bucky had even texted him after he left his number at the shop. The kid was hot and educated and had no business slumming it with Clint. He was wallowing in his self deprecation when the hissing doors of his floor opened and Natasha strode in, looking unimpressed.

 

_ “Yastreb _ ” She said with a raised eyebrow and crossed arms. “Kate told me you had a date tonight with her hot employee?”

 

Clint just groaned in response as he sunk his head onto the counter. His reaction of course had answered Natasha’s question. “Good to know you two talk about me.”   
  
“Don’t flatter yourself, she just said to make sure you don’t look like a disaster and gave me a name to run a background check on so I put it together myself.” Nat bumped his hip with hers and he turned his head to look up at her. “He’s done nothing shady except for a few protests at University. For the record.”

 

“So are you going to make sure I don’t look like a disaster?” Clint would admit that he didn’t have the best style sense most of the time. 

 

Natasha spent the next hour rummaging through his closet and drawers, throwing a pair of tight jeans and an eggplant colored button down at him. The pants were a weird coated material and the shirt was tight across his chest. Nat fussed with his sleeves until they were artfully rolled onto his forearms and shoved his feet into high-top sneakers. She finished dabbing concealer onto his uglier scrapes from their last mission right before she shooed him out the door with a cursory ass smack.

 

“Go get ‘em  _ tupitsa _ .”

 

\-----

 

Bucky was awkwardly shuffling into the artfully lit Italian restaurant with the hostess looking at him expectantly. 

 

“Reservation?”   
  
“Uh. Barton?” Bucky didn’t know if Clint had called ahead or not. “Maybe?”

 

The hostess smiled thinly. “We’re rather full tonight-”   
  
“It’s under Jarvis.” Clint’s voice cut her off from behind Bucky. “You look great Bucky.”   
  
Bucky shamelessly looked at Clint’s bulging biceps in his sinfully tight shirt, painfully aware of the man’s hand on his lower back. Clint seemed to sense his eyes on him and quickly withdrew his hand and awkwardly avoided eye contact.

 

“So do you.” Bucky managed to mumble as the hostess whisked them off to a quiet corner of the restaurant.

 

Clint actually pulled the chair out for him before settling on the other side. He picked up the drinks menu and squinted. “Do you know anything about wine? I’m not big on fancy shit like this.”

 

Bucky snorted. “No, you’re not big on fancy you just live in a manhattan high rise and go to white tablecloth Italian restaurants on the first date.” He noticed Clint flush a bit. “But no, I don’t know anything about wine.”

 

They ended up both ordering a beer and clinking the bottles together in a toast with only a slightly judgmental look from the waiter. Clint ordered for both of them in surprisingly good Italian before settling back in his chair and looking at Bucky.

 

“Long day?” Clint had an easy smile and his eyes were flickering in the dim lighting. 

 

“How’d you find this place?” Bucky gestured around at the deceptively fancy restaurant. 

 

“I-uh. Crashed through their window.” Clint chucked at Bucky’s confused face. “Battle off New York.”

 

Right. He was slightly famous. Bucky felt himself sweat a bit and cursed the long sleeved shirt he had worn. His knee was starting to jiggle under the table and maybe he had had too much caffeine. How was this the same guy that Bucky had found in a dumpster behind the shop?

 

“You got any projects coming up?” Clint’s voice interrupted Bucky’s haze. “Because you’re a writer, right?”   
  
“Uh yeah. I studied creative writing. And not really, some freelance stuff occasionally but not what I’d really like to be doing.”

 

“Which is?” 

 

“I’d love to get into children’s literature.” Bucky looked down a bit. “My nieces always want me to tell stories and I’ve always had an overactive imagination.”

 

“That’s adorable.” Clint responded, his heart breaking a little over how sweet Bucky was. “You’ve got nieces?”

 

Bucky smiled at the table a bit. “Yeah, my sister Becca has little twin girls.” He pulled out his phone and scrolled through his instagram to show Clint a picture. “What about you? I don’t know if I’ve heard that you have close family.”   
  
Clint barked a laugh. “Well first of all, I’m a spy.” His tone was teasing but Bucky still looked up with wide eyes. “And second of all, no, no close family. Just the team.”

 

He sounded almost wistful, but their food arrived and Bucky didn’t press it.

 


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'M SORRY I'M A COWARD i didn't want to belabor this so i just did a fade to black epilogue type thing i sorrrryyyyyyyy love you all

**ONE MONTH LATER**

  
  


Bucky was absentmindedly wiping at the stubborn stain on the counter by the espresso machine when he heard the TV go to a sudden broadcast. It was a breaking Doombot attack, with avengers being called in to counteract the destruction. Bucky felt his stomach drop and his eyes met Kate’s for only a second before she nodded and shooed him out the door. He refreshed twitter and news apps on the subway into Manhattan and by the time he joined the hoards of people at the doors in front of Avengers tower, the fighting had been pronounced over, with just Iron Man blasting a few rogue bots.

 

Realistically, Bucky knew being in a relationship an Avenger would come with certain risks of the job. But in the time he and Clint had been dating, this was the first major skirmish that had occurred. It was also the first time Bucky had come to Avengers tower and he was slightly daunted by the dazzling silver skyscraper. The throngs of fans and reporters at the door were pushing and shoving, until somehow Bucky was at the front. He heard a posh British say his name and the door opened for him. He glanced around and ducked under the barricade. 

 

“Um. Sir?” Bucky asked when he was in the eerily quiet lobby of the tower. There was nobody present, just a large interactive screen in the middle and several elevators positioned around the room.

 

“Yes. Hello Mr. Barnes.” The British voice came from the ceiling. “Agent Barton had you installed as a guest soon after he began relations with you. Would you like to meet the team on the communal floor? I have already alerted Agent Barton of your presence here.”   
  
“Um.” Bucky was still startled by the talking building. “I suppose? Am I allowed to meet them there?” Holy shit he was about to meet the avengers.

 

“Yes. Several of the team’s friends are already waiting.” The voice said smoothly.

 

 An unmarked elevator door opened. There were no buttons in the tiny box, but the side was one-way glass. Bucky felt his ears pop slightly as he rapidly ascended to one of the highest floors of the building. There were, of course, snuck photos from parties or press events of the living floors of Avengers tower. But nothing could compare to the jaw-dropping splendor of the real thing. The largest bar Bucky had ever seen outside of a restaurant, every table game imaginable, endless sofas and chairs. There was a blonde woman at the bar chatting to another woman and a tall dark skinned man. The group all turned to look at Bucky and they motioned him over. 

 

“I’m Sharon, this is Maria. We’re dating Nat. Or as you probably know her, Black Widow or Agent Romanoff.” The blonde shook his hand, a kind smile on her face. Bucky also shook Maria’s. 

 

“James, but call me Rhodey.” The man said to which Bucky chuckled.

 

“I’m also James, but call me Bucky.” His eyes flitted around. “Is this the welcome committee?”

 

“Sometimes Jane is here from London. But Thor is off-world. Sometimes Sam or the other honorary Avengers show up. This is kinda a bare bones crew honestly.” Maria said as she went behind the bar to pour herself something.

 

Right. Bucky suddenly felt wildly incompetent after becoming hyper aware of the fact he was in company with high-level government personnel who frequently hung out with world class astrophysicist. He barely had time to panic and think of a way to sound more impressive to these people when there was a whirring outside on the landing pad. Cap strolled out first, baring wounds that already looked weeks old. Iron Man came clanking out second, ushering a frazzled-looking Bruce Banner he gave a small salute to the group at the bar before disappearing into an elevator. Clint walked out next to Black Widow and both their faces lit up at the sight at the bar.

 

“I see you’ve met my partners, Mr. Barnes.” Black fucking widow extended her hand to Bucky. “I’m Natasha.”

 

“Uhh, Bucky.” He felt like she was figuring out the easiest way to kill him as she gave him a once over. Her face relaxed and she gave a thin smile before turning to her girlfriends and being fussed over. He turned to Clint and gave him a once over. “So. You had me installed as a guest here?”

 

“Yeah. If you ever want to. You know. Uh” Clint scratched his head. “Did you see the media highlights of the fight?”   
  


Bucky decided not to comment on the abrupt change of subject. “Yeah. You looked so badass babe.” 

 

Clint actually blushed but was saved from having to respond by Cap. The team co-leader had ambled over, a small notebook in hand that Bucky hadn’t noticed before.

 

“Barnes, was it?” The super soldier clapped him on the back. Bucky tried not to stumble forward. “Good to finally meet ya.”

 

“Likewise, Cap.” Bucky coughed out.

 

“Oh please. It’s Steve if you’re in my living room.”

 

The others around him snorted half-laughs but Bucky’s eyes fell onto the notebook that Steve had waved around when he protested his formal title. “Are you.” in a moment of profound dumbassery he grabbed Cap’s large wrist and looked at the cartoonish drawings. “Did you draw this?”   
  
Captain America full on blushed and looked away sheepishly. “Uh. Yeah. History books didn’t mention that I bet?”

 

Clint chose that moment to pipe up. “Bucky writes kid’s books.” Bucky groaned and closed his eyes, missing the way Steve seemed to light up in interest. Even the girls at the bar had seemed to pause their conversation. “He’s been looking for an illustrator for some time to work with him in trying to get published.”

 

“Clint-” Bucky opened his eyes and gave his boyfriend a ‘really?’ look. “Look, Cap. I didn’t know. I was just interested, I’m not angling-”   
  
“I’d do it.” Steve cut him off while Clint grinned like the cat that got the canary. “I could use a pseudonym if you want.”

 

Bucky just looked stupidly from a hopeful Captain America to Clint. “Did you? Is this why you’ve been asking me to come meet the team?”   
  
Clint shrugged. “Not the only reason. I figured you two would get along. This is my family, Buck. Of course I want you to meet them.”

 

Bucky just about melted. He didn’t take his eyes off his boyfriend who was shuffling his feet a bit. “Cap? I’ll get back to you tomorrow.” 

 

Steve just chuckled and Clint looked confused. Bucky grabbed Clint’s hand and jerked his head towards the elevators.

 

“So. Let’s put that ‘guest’ designation to good use?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading! love you and thank you!


End file.
